


King

by kamelea



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anbu Haruno Sakura, Anbu Uchiha Itachi, BAMF Haruno Sakura, BAMF Uchiha Itachi, But nothing too hardcore, Canon-Typical Violence, Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Itachi being a good captain, No Uchiha Massacre, Non-Mass Au, POV Haruno Sakura, POV Uchiha Itachi, Protective Uchiha Itachi, Romance, Strong Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Itachi-centric, i guess it can be called a slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:27:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24022099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamelea/pseuds/kamelea
Summary: And eventually a question arose - was Uchiha Itachi her captain, her friend or her lover?ItaSaku Non-mass AU
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Itachi, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi
Comments: 109
Kudos: 318





	1. Preludium

**Author's Note:**

> Yup, here comes another non-mass AU with Sakura being on Itachi's team, because the more the merrier
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Naruto_ or any of its characters, obviously. I'm not Kishi.

Their current situation wasn’t the best but it also wasn’t the worst, Uchiha Itachi concluded, going through possible outcomes of his team’s current predicament.

Three of his ANBU team members, including himself, were caught in some kind of chakra barrier that so far they had failed to overcome. Their opponents, three of them, were actually quite skilled and Itachi suspected there was more to them than they had already shown. One of them, a well-built, masked male, was a quiet type and seemed to be the leader of this group of rogue nin. He was the one to unexpectedly cast the barrier. There was also a younger brat, loud and cocky, his green hair expressing well his explosive personality. He hadn’t yet shown any special abilities, but was resistant to those genjutsu Itachi tried prior to being trapped, and that was already saying something about his level. And there was a girl too, blonde hair framing her round face. Shisui managed to beat her up pretty badly before the leader appeared, but she was still standing and ready to fight further.

They didn’t seem to be regular nin. They were way too skilled to be just that. The intel said they were working for Akatsuki - not really being part of the group but having some ties to the wicked organization. And Konoha wished greatly to know more about those.

Now however, the priority was to not get killed and escape this stupid barrier. Itachi really didn’t appreciate that smirk on his green-haired opponent’s face. Yes, seemingly they were trapped and at the mercy of those nin. But Itachi still had an ace up his sleeve. 

A crow sat at a branch above their opponent’s heads and cawed lazily.

All at once a few different things happened. A few tag bombs exploded, causing distraction; a rain of senbon fell, forcing their opponents to separate; and a shadow flashed to his left. Such attentive eyes as Itachi’s caught that the silhouette carried a tinge of pink. He smirked. Here goes the best ace in his pack of cards.

The shadow went straight for the girl and the blonde fell lifelessly. Itachi nodded inwardly, satisfied Sakura went first for the weakest link. Hidden in the distance, with one of his crows reporting the course of their fight, he was sure she had analyzed their current situation in depth. Which meant she knew that she had now lost her greatest asset, which allowed her to eliminate the blonde - the element of surprise. 

His pink-haired teammate appeared next to them, right outside the barrier. “How’s the situation in there, Taichou?” He heard her muffled but steady voice from behind her ANBU mask.

“You have to carry the fight on your own for now, Haruno. None of our jutsu has worked.”

She nodded.

“Are any of you seriously injured?” He could literally feel her gaze examining and analyzing their forms.

“No.”

Another short nod.

“She killed Yoki, Tokida-san!” The young man yelled to his leader, anger flaring in his brown eyes.

“I didn’t kill her.” Sakura puffed in annoyance, but Itachi doubted the boy heard her. Given the position the blonde was in, Uchiha assumed that Haruno had used a paralyzing medical jutsu to neutralize the girl and eliminate her from the fight. The rogue-nins were most worthy for Konoha alive and the dark haired shinobi was sure his teammate thought of that when planning her attack. 

“Hurry up, Taichou. I doubt I can keep them busy for long.” Her voice was calm, no tinge of panic tainting it.

Not to diminish Sakura’s abilities, but Itachi considered she was right. One of the men was genjustu resistant and definitely had a hidden skill that could be an unpleasant surprise. The other one had this barrier jutsu, which, if Sakura made one bad move, would be ready to be cast upon her. But they needed just a few more minutes to get out there, Itachi believed, Genma was trying now another one of his releasing techniques. 

“I’ll kill you, stupid bitch!” 

As much as the green-haired boy was angry, the masked man was calm. Or focused, Itachi suddenly realized. 

“Haruno, get the masked man. If you distract him maybe we’ll be able to break this barrier easier.”

Sakura stilled for a second, and then took off, so fast only his Sharingan could follow it. 

“Hodao, now!” It was the first time the masked man, named Tokida as Itachi assumed, had spoken.

Just before Sakura could get to the man, the green-haired boy, Hodao, performed a few seals, summoned a big scroll and, much to Itachi’s surprise, another five silhouettes appeared. A fist landed to Sakura’s abdomen, knocking her a few meters back.

“What just happened?!” Genma shrieked.

“She had no chance dodging it without the Sharingan.” Shisui’s voice was full of concern towards his teammate, but calm. As much as Itachi agreed with his cousin, he also hoped that Sakura would now know to pay extra attention. 

“Still, what the fuck is this?” Shiranui insisted.

“Puppets.” They heard Sakura’s voice, who already stood up and was in her battle stance.

So that was Hodao’s hidden ability - he was a puppet master. How fitting that Sakura just so happened to be a master at defeating those. She was significantly responsible for the death of Sasori of the Red Sand a few years back, and while still just a chuunin. Amongst Itachi’s ANBU team she was the most experienced at fighting with puppet-based techniques.

One twist of Hodao’s hand and the puppets rushed to Haruno. She dodged all of their attacks, but didn’t launch an attack of her own. She was analyzing their movements, Itachi concluded, as he simultaneously performed another jutsu to try and break the barrier. He failed. Sakura always started her fight on the defensive side in order to plan the best strategy with minimal damage and use of chakra; she was the medic on the team after all. Her duty didn’t finish with the end of a battle. 

The puppets rose high in the air, suddenly turned, and once again flew straight into his teammate. Itachi barely visibly clenched his jaw. _Time to attack, Haruno._

As if hearing the thoughts of her Taichou, Sakura gathered chakra to her fists and crushed every single one of the puppets. The corner of Itachi’s lips lifted in something of a semblance of a smile, despite Shisui failing now to break the barrier. Before Sakura could make another move on the masked man, Hodao performed another set of seals and all of a sudden puppets one after another started emerging from the scroll. And for a second it seemed the queue of them will never end.

Sakura cursed. _Ah_ , Itachi thought. Now she had to risk an injury fighting this horde of puppets. 

He could feel the teammates trapped with him in the barrier were growing impatient and irritated with the inaction from their side, scared for the well-being of the pink-haired kunoichi. Almost as if they didn’t know that she was more than capable of dealing with her current predicament. But Itachi knew that, not even for a second doubting her victory.

The puppets were everywhere, and so were Sakura’s fists and kicks. For a few minutes the only sounds upon the battleground were Sakura’s grunts and cracks from the wood breaking in contact with her raw power. Sakura had the advantage of being able to destroy a puppet with just a short touch, and thanks to her perfect chakra control, she was keeping track of the energy she was using in every move. Itachi was tracking her movements with his Sharingan, the concerned captain that he was, and if he wasn’t so concentrated on this complicated jutsu he was performing, he would find himself entranced with her battle grace.

“How many more jutsu left to try, Shiranui?” Itachi checked.

His teammate gritted his teeth audibly. “Not many, Taichou.”

“Keep going.”

Sakura was getting frustrated with the lack of success, Itachi saw it and he knew Shisui also did, since his cousin was also focusing hard on the battle going right under their noses.

“She’s gonna snap, Itachi.”

“You think I don’t know.” he answered calmly, impassive as ever. However, if Itachi didn’t have his hands clasped in a seal, he would’ve pinched the bridge of his nose in the gesture of annoyance. He knew what was about to happen even before she opened her mouth, and not even thanks to his Sharingan. Just by knowing his pink-haired teammate well.

Sakura shrieked. A deep almost growl-like scream riddled with her anger. “Oh, Goddammit!” 

Her movements became erratic, as expected in her current state, but at least they were still reaching their targets. Itachi hated the fact that all he could do was wait in dread for her crazy idea, that they all knew was coming. 

But, to his great astonishment, this crazy idea of hers was not half so bad. She grasped the chakra strings that were connecting a puppet to Hodao’s fingers and pulled. Hard. He had no idea it was possible, damn, he didn’t even know Sakura was able to see chakra strings without any dojutsu. As the result of her action, Hodao was now flying towards her with a terrified expression on his face. Itachi didn’t blame him one bit - he was looking death in the eye.

Sakura’s fist, fueled with an enormous amount of chakra, collided with his face. And it broke. Into pieces. 

Itachi’s own eyes widened in surprise. Another puppet?

“Fuck!” Shisui yelled, hitting the chakra barrier with his fist. “How did we not see it’s a puppet, Itachi?”

The younger Uchiha clenched his jaw. He didn’t know. Yet. It was weird, because he could clearly see the wooden pieces, that not a second ago looked like flesh to him. Was it some kind of genjutsu? Itachi doubted it, but didn’t eliminate such a possibility. If it was, it must’ve been exceptionally strong to fool his Sharingan.

Sakura was now panting slightly, her chakra level dropping. It took some time and energy from her part to fight the puppets, not to mention her having the lowest stamina on the team. Itachi cursed quietly upon noticing blood dripping from her side. 

“You made me really angry attacking my sister.” Itachi drifted his attention to the masked man. His voice was deep, but calm. “But I will never forgive you for destroying my favourite puppet!” Tokida formed his hands in a seal unknown to Itachi and started gathering chakra. It was something big.

Shit.

“Itachi, look!” The hope in Shisui’s voice was clear, as he showed him a crack in the barrier. 

“That’s where you hit it with your fist, Shisui!” Sakura, observant as always no matter how busy with the fight. And then she exclaimed, realization washing over her. “This barrier is taijutsu-sensitive! And Hodao was also protected by some kind of barrier that hid his real form. That’s why your Sharingan didn’t detect it sooner!”

But when she destroyed it with her punch it broke. 

“Enough talking, Haruno. Proceed.” As much as he was proud she figured it out, he was afraid that she was not going to make it in time to break the barrier. Tokida changed his seal and set his eyes on Sakura, his chakra now gathered. “Sakura, now!” A tinge of panic found its place in the captain’s yell, much to his displeasure.

The explosion startled all the crows, causing them to fly away and caw in fear.

Clouds of smoke and dust were all around them, disturbing their vision, but Itachi saw Sakura’s limp body falling down. He moved in an instant, catching her just before her body hit the ground. 

“I-Itachi?” She rasped out, barely a whisper.

“Ah.” Her head rested on his shoulder, assured he was not the enemy. “Good timing there, Sakura.” 

She smiled weakly, but proudly. She got hit by ricochet and her mask got shattered, probably due to the energy released in the effect of her chakra colliding with the barrier. She had flown from above, her kick reaching the top of it. Simultaneously, their opponent’s jutsu set off, but the moment the barrier fell, Shisui flickered right next to him to attack. Itachi wasn’t quite sure if the reason for the explosion was Tokida’s technique or the collision of Sakura’s chakra with the barrier. At this point, he didn’t really care. His teammates were safe and the enemy had been captured.

Not a bad day after all.

He landed smoothly on the ground next to Genma, who was now sealing what was left from the puppets. Sakura was on the verge of falling unconscious, so he refused to put her down, despite her quiet resistance. She would probably voice her displeasure louder if not for her weakened state. Her grumble got silenced by Shisui’s arrival.

“Wow, Sakura-chan, we sure knew about your strength and all, but to see it in all its glory was an experience.”

“It’s very naive of you, Shisui, to think it was the whole display of my abilities.” Sakura retorted quickly, already annoyed. It seemed she took offence at the fact his cousin thought that way in the first place. Itachi’s hold on her body got firmer, as she showed an eagerness to jump at his cousin. “If I was to use my whole strength, and the barrier still wouldn’t let go, the pressure could’ve squeezed you into goo.”

Itachi smirked widely, still safely hidden behind his mask, seeing his teammates cringing upon the revelation. 

Yes, the possibility of things going wrong had also flickered through Itachi’s mind as he watched Sakura landing a fatal kick on the barrier. He wasn’t a physics specialist, even if some did say he was a genius, but he knew that this enormous amount of energy had to be disposed of in some way. If it hadn’t been disposed of by creating cracks in the barrier, the odds of it causing great pressure inside of it were too high. 

It took them another hour or so to seal Tokido and Yoki with a special technique designed, among other things, to deliver criminals to their place of interrogation without them disrupting the journey. Regardless it being an advanced technique, Sakura still would be forced to check their vitals now and then. 

It’d been around 14 months since Sakura had joined Itachi’s ANBU team and her progress as a Black Ops operative was remarkable, both regarding her abilities and attitude towards her captain. Itachi smirked inwardly, remembering the beginnings of their interaction. She was terrified of him, simply put. But a lot had changed in this last year and now the Uchiha heir was proud to be called her friend. 

At the thought of his pink-haired teammate, the young Uchiha heir drew his attention to the kunoichi. She was focused on healing her small injury, but was quick to spot his gaze on her. His now unmasked expression softened in response to her bright beam. He walked up to her and looked down at her, checking her over. Not finding anything disturbing, he let the corner of his lips curl in an elusive smile. 

His palm landed on the top of her head, causing a slight ruffle to her hair. “You did well, Sakura.”

He would lie if he said he didn’t enjoy the view of the shy flush that appeared on her features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my betas @feeisamarshmallow who is just the most patient angel when it comes to my English and who is the best for editing even though Naruto is not her jam ❤ and @peachandbetty who is an awesome writer and i'm totally intimidated by her talent 
> 
> Kudos and comments greatly appreciated ❤ you can also find me on tumblr i'm @itachi-niisan


	2. Cherry Blossom’s memoir I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It hadn’t been more than 4 months since Sakura had joined Itachi’s ANBU team and the kunoichi finally learnt how to treat her captain as any other teammate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank you all for such a positive response to the first chapter ❤ every kudos and every single one of your comments made me smile :)
> 
> EDIT 14/07/2020: Okay, I decided to change the formatting of Sakura's chapters bc i got feedback that it's a little confusing and given what I have planned for this story I agree. At first Sakura's chapter were written in italics, suggesting it's a flashback, when that's not entirely right. It's just that Sakura's POV has a different timeline than Itachi's. I hope the timeline mix up is not too confusing :)

The dinner was delicious as always at the Uchiha household, and Sakura had obviously overstepped her limit, feeling now full and fat. The tea Itachi brought over really did look tempting, especially given he was really the master of brewing tea. Not that there was anything the Uchiha Itachi was bad at, Sakura thought, inwardly rolling her eyes in amusement. 

Mikoto-san had invited the former Team 7 over to celebrate Sasuke’s 20th birthday with a small group of the most important people in his life. Naruto had been excited for that dinner for the whole week, and it wasn’t surprising given he didn’t get to often enjoy family dinners. Sure, they were often sharing meals, the three of them (or even four if that slacker that dared to call himself their sensei would show up), ramen mostly, but Sakura knew Naruto was craving for the atmosphere that surrounded Mikoto-san, Sasuke and Itachi’s mother. The woman had that true, motherly energy to her, her smile able to scare off every sorrow. 

Yes, Sakura liked Mikoto-san. She had always been so encouraging and interested in the pink-haired kunoichi’s training under the Hokage. Even when the spotlight was on the boys in her team, Mikoto had always seen Sakura’s potential. And the girl was grateful for that, but it wasn’t the only reason she admired the woman. The suave Uchiha matriarch, next to Tsunade-shishou and her own mother, had been a role model for Sakura as she grew up. She wished to be one day as confident as Mikoto, but at the same time gentle for those she held dearly to her heart. Not to mention, she was a true beauty. The first time Sakura came over to Sasuke’s home, she actually stood rooted to her spot, totally intimidated by Mikoto-san’s flawless appearance. It was no mystery who her sons took after when it came to their looks. Especially Itachi, with his long black hair, curled long lashes and almost feminine grace. Yes, Sasuke was freakishly handsome, but his older brother was just ethereally gorgeous. 

Sakura had always felt good in Sasuke’s house, except for those moments when his father, Fugaku, was home. He had this completely opposite energy to his wife’s, being able to suck the rest of happiness from a room. Sakura blamed him for all the pain Sasuke had gone through when growing up, being pressured into being more like his older brother, the genius and prodigy, his father unable to understand they are two separate human beings. But, according to Sasuke, it wasn’t like Fugaku favored Itachi—he had treated him just as badly, finding just a different excuse to torment him. He was the heir after all, and he had to be worth the title. 

Tonight however, upon Sakura’s great pleasure, Fugaku had not been present. It was maybe a bit selfish of her, because Sasuke was probably disappointed by his father’s absence, but seeing how everyone had been enjoying themselves at the table diminished her guilt of thinking that way. At first, she’d thought only the four of them would be celebrating Sasuke’s 20th birthday, but just as Mikoto-san set out all the delicious food on the table Itachi came through the door, apologizing quietly for the delay. 

Sakura had gotten both excited and anxious upon the unexpected appearance of her team captain. 

A few weeks ago she had finally told her former teammates that she had joined ANBU sometime around her own 20th birthday, and to her surprise it was Naruto who took it better. Her blonde best friend had never wished to join ANBU, aware it was no place for him, with his warm personality and extremely kind heart. Naruto was genuinely proud of her though even if a little concerned, but showed his delight by hugging her tightly and spinning her around. It was Sasuke who had gotten angry, asking why she was trying so hard to get herself killed. She understood his concern, but suspected that his anger was also fueled with jealousy. And she didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. She had worked so hard to be acknowledged by her much more talented and chakra-fueled teammates. It took her years, most of her adolescent life, to achieve her current position. Not to be a burden to Team 7, but an equal. So when Sasuke had shown his discontent upon her exciting news, they got into a fight. 

Sasuke wished to join ANBU ever since he got promoted to jonin, but was yet to get a permission from the head of his clan. Meaning his father. Sasuke saw it as an insult to his abilities, but Sakura thought it was more out of concern and fear of losing a child. Fugaku may be vicious and cold, but Sakura was sure he loved his children. And he was already facing the risk of losing his older son ever since Itachi turned 11. Yes, a horrifying age to join such a dangerous group as ANBU, but Itachi was the golden child, and was more than capable of protecting his village and that was what counted for the village’s elders. And Itachi was carrying out that task brilliantly and almost without any scratches. Ever since Sakura had started working in the hospital at the age of 15 she had not once seen Itachi injured so badly it had to be treated as a serious threat to his life. In the private of her own thoughts, Sakura suspected Fukagu may only allow Sasuke to join ANBU once his older brother retired. Itachi was already 26, 15 years on duty, so maybe he'd be ready to pass his responsibilities onto his younger brother soon. But who knew the plans of Itachi Uchiha; he could just as well grow old being an ANBU and Sakura wouldn’t be surprised. The ANBU gear was basically glued to his flesh at this point. 

Her argument with Sasuke concerning her association with ANBU had been loud but quick. Sasuke had quickly realized that Sakura was not to blame for his own misfortune and his deep and genuine concern for her safety had actually touched her greatly. By the end of the day, he actually hugged her to congratulate her, whispering in her ear a promise that he would join her soon. 

That was just the dynamics of Team 7. They could fight over the stupidest or critical stuff, but would always find a way to agree. She missed her original team sometimes, no matter how much she liked and respected her new ANBU teammates. Technically no one apart from other ANBU members, the Hokage and a few privileged jonin (such as Kakashi-sensei) was supposed to know of her affiliation to the group. But Team 7 was her family and esteemed shinobi, both Tsunade-shishou and her Taichou understood it, so they gave her clearance to clue in Naruto and Sasuke. 

Sakura hadn’t told them, however, who she was on the team with. And she didn’t know how she was supposed to act when her Taichou had sat at the head of the table, with her sitting right next to him. 

Sakura had very little interaction with Itachi prior to getting on his team. Back in their genin days, Team 7 had often spent their free time at the Uchiha compound, but even back then the girl only saw the older boy from a distance, too timid to disturb him like Naruto had. Her blonde friend had never had any restraints when it came to interactions with people, so it was no wonder he actually got through to the older Uchiha. At some point he even started affectionately calling him his brother, which was met with Sasuke’s great indignation, but Sakura not once spotted any trace of annoyance from Itachi himself. Sometimes he even smiled at Naruto’s shenanigans. When it came to her, he had always been nothing but polite, those very few times they actually spoke to each other. Her opinion about him was based completely on Sasuke’s view on his older brother, and her dark-haired teammate had always been glorifying Itachi, hence twelve-year-old Sakura’s projection of him being someone out of her reach. As she got older and dedicated herself utterly to her training with Tsunade-shisou, her visits to the Uchiha compound had ceased and whenever she was there, Itachi had been absent due to his dedication to his duties as Konoha shinobi. That opinion of her genin self had never been counterchecked. Maybe that was the reason behind her embarrassing behaviour towards her captain at the beginning of her affiliation to his team. 

Their relation noted a great upgrade in the recent weeks, and she was now finally treating him like any other teammate. She could see now through his mask of trained indifference and was even able to shatter it sometimes, earning a smile or even short chuckle in return. Yes, apparently Uchiha Itachi enjoyed her silly sense of humor, no matter how peculiar it sounded. 

Dinner passed with a nice atmosphere; she managed to relax sooner than she had anticipated. She didn’t know whether this was because Mikoto-san’s friendly personality was oddly soothing, or Naruto’s silly comments caused Sakura to burst out laughing here and there, or because Itachi was smiling under his nose throughout the whole meal. Even Sasuke seemed to be content with the outcome of his birthday celebrations. He did shoot her a few weird looks, though. 

Now, as they’d moved to the terrace, Sakura was admiring the beautiful view of Mikoto-san’s garden, the flowers blooming richly despite summer being exceptionally dry this year. It was just the younger generation now, since Uchiha matriarch excused herself to get back to her other responsibilities. 

“You’re on his team, aren’t you?” Sasuke’s sudden question sounded a lot like an accusation, startling Sakura, causing her to spill the hot tea Itachi had prepared on the table. She was just in the process of pouring herself a longly awaited cup. 

Sakura shot Itachi a quick glance, but he didn’t seem to be affected by his brother’s observation. He looked almost bored, his head resting lazily on his palm, his arm propped up an armrest. He seemed as relaxed as always. Sensing Sakura’s gaze on him, he slowly moved his eyes to her. She raised her brows at him, a meaningful look on her face. Itachi sighed, barely visibly, probably annoyed by the little drama. A scowl appeared on Sakura’s features at his unbelievable aloofness. 

The older Uchiha just shrugged nonchalantly and gave an answer for her. “Ah.” 

Sakura almost rolled her eyes in annoyance upon his famous monosyllabic answer. He was an intelligent man, why was it so hard for him to formulate an actual word was a mystery to the girl. 

She turned her attention back to Sasuke. 

“What gave us away?” She asked, genuinely curious. 

“Well, this kind of behavior for example. What’s with these secret looks and unspoken conversation?” 

She had tried to be especially discreet with her gestures, not to get Naruto and Sasuke’s attention, but it seemed she failed anyway. Well partly, because Naruto still seemed adorably oblivious to the tension, a pack of biscuits filling up his mouth completely. 

“Mwhat looks?” The blonde asked, spilling crumbs all over the place. Sakura chuckled through her nose, seeing disgust flashing through Itachi and Sasuke’s features. 

“They’ve been sharing those looks all dinner,” Sasuke almost made it sound like an insult, and Sakura didn’t appreciate the tone “but you’ve been too busy engulfing the food and charming my mother to notice anything, Dobe. Not that it surprises me.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean, teme?” Anger flared in Naruto’s blue eyes, but before the two of them could start another physical fight, Itachi’s stoic voice interjected. 

“Are you upset, Sasuke?” 

Sasuke’s eyes snapped back to his older brother. He closed his eyes giving an answer. “No, I’m actually relieved.” 

“Sure you are.” Sakura muttered with an impossibly sweet and sly smile. 

Sasuke was arrogant and way too cocky about his skills as a shinobi, but if there was one person he admired and looked up to, it was his older brother. She stood up and innocently walked up to Sasuke only to grab his collar brutishly and grind out. 

“If you think I just stand there waiting like some damsel in distress for your dear older brother to rescue me, then you are GREATLY mistaken.” Sakura started shaking her friend uncontrollably, her anger at the verge of outbursting. She could see from the corner of her eye Naruto’s face going pale, probably already predicting what’s about to come. 

“Nii-san, control your subordinate.” Very desperate for the young Uchiha to turn to his older brother for help, Sakura thought of earning such a reaction from her friend with great satisfaction. 

Itachi just smiled, this kind of sweet smile Sakura liked best on him. “Ne, you deserve it.” 

The rest of their afternoon tea passed in an amicable atmosphere, with just a few occasional grunts and hisses of pain coming from Sasuke, the result of Sakura’s accurate punch to his pretty face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should be preparing an important presentation for tomorrow but instead I decided to upload this chapter #responsible_adult  
> Also I just want to let you know that I usually try to answer all comments and reviews but right now my life is a little busy so I can't promise anything, but just so you know I read them and they make me very happy :)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for the next one bc it's gonna be itasaku only ❤  
> Take care!


	3. Pray I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you good people for reading and leaving feedback ❤  
> (The tile of this chapter as well as the quote is taken from The Amazing Devil’s song “Pray”)

_**“Pray for me,  
I’ll run until I begin to understand  
What holy men really mean when they speak of sin”** _

Cold chakra flooded straight into his eyes, awakening his kekkei genkai; an act so familiar to him it was more out of habit now than necessity. However, he had to admit—using Sharingan in this situation wouldn’t hurt. His sparring partner hid somewhere near, using the genjutsu she worked on for months, ever since Itachi encouraged her to make use of her predispositions in that area. She got it to a level that caused even him to have problems finding her, but still, not too much of a problem for him to overcome. They didn’t call him a genjutsu master for no reason.

He smirked, spotting a disturbance of chakra to the left, right behind a strange-looking rock. 

Itachi was just about to make a move to keep their spar going, when he felt another chakra in the clearing’s area. A much less welcome one, if he was honest with himself.

“Itachi.” Voice harsh, as always.

“Tou-san.” The Uchiha heir turned in the direction his father approached him from, bracing himself already for another unpleasant conversation. As of late, Itachi felt as if those were the only conversations he had with his father.

“I’ve been looking for you all morning to—”

“I know why, Tou-san. However, I don’t see the point of further discussion since we’re obviously on the opposite sides of the matter.” His own voice bore a grim note. “And as I assume, neither of us is willing to change their stance.”

Something cold and heavy hung in the air between them. 

“You need to understand, son, that as the Uchiha heir and future clan head you have to be able to make such difficult decisions.

“I am capable of making these decisions. You simply fail to acknowledge it, because it’s not accordant with your opinions.”

Fugaku's eyes squinted, but Itachi’s face didn’t show any signs of similar disturbance, impassive as usual. Their glaring contest was just about to enter a second phase when something grabbed the older Uchiha’s attention.

“Is someone else here?”

For a second there, Itachi almost forgot he was in the middle of a training session when his father interrupted them. Almost. It was still training, and an opportunity to test the abilities of his sparring partner’s jutsu had just arisen.

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” He challenged Fugaku.

His father’s eyes lit up with red as his Sharingan showed. He scanned their surroundings, not paying extra attention to any one spot. Itachi managed to contain the swell of pride that threatened to come up on his face in the form of a smirk.

“What kind of game is this, Itachi?”

“It’s nothing. As you can _see_.” Itachi did his best to cover the smugness, not to let his father know of his small jab. Still, it entertained him.

Fugaku seemed suspicious but didn’t push the matter. Unfortunately for his son, he returned to the previous topic.

“This is important for the clan, Itachi. We need to agree on this issue, otherwise it may cause some ruptures or unwanted discussion.”

“Yes, we all know, you are not very fond of discussion.”

If a random person was asked to say something about Itachi, they would most likely use the words _composed_ , _stoic_ or _polite_ , because those terms described him perfectly. However, even he had his limits, and he was close to reaching them. Every conversation with his father these days brought him closer to them. 

Fugaku didn’t seem to appreciate his son’s rude remark.

“Itachi... You may be my firstborn and the heir, but I am still head of the clan. And you have to obey my orders and at least show your support in front of others if we can’t agree.” And with these words Fugaku turned, a last glance like steel in his son’s direction, and disappeared in the shadows of the forest.

Itachi’s jaw clenched. As much as he hated this conversation, he disliked even more that it ended with such an outcome. He knew better than anyone, though, that his father’s mind wouldn’t change. He let out a quiet sigh, trying to calm his nerves to resume his sparring. And he did, moving too fast for an eye to catch his movement, appearing right behind his sparring partner crouched in the bushes. 

Close enough for her pink hair to tickle his nose.

“It’s extremely rude to be eavesdropping, Haruno.”

Itachi could feel her breath leaving her as she jumped in surprise and he relished in the way her face became adorably red. 

She collected herself and puffed in annoyance, her cheeks still tinged pink. “Well excuse me for maintaining a complex genjutsu in the presence of a skilled Sharingan wielder.”

This time Itachi wasn’t able to stop his chuckle from emerging from the back of his throat. The woman was just too great of an entertainment. She was right though—it was an accomplishment, one that even astounded him a bit. He stood up and started toward the clearing, and his companion followed suit quick afterwards. A silence fell when his quiet laughter died, but his pink-haired teammate was quick to disturb it.

“You Uchiha sure are intense. Your confrontation felt like watching a good thriller. And for your information, I’m more of a romantic comedy kind of girl.”

“That figures.” Itachi twisted the right corner of his lips in a smirk.

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

“Not gonna say I’m surprised, given your sensei is a fan of... similar genre.” A throaty breath escaped him, almost a laughter, as he dodged a punch coming from his furious sparring partner. Good, she wished to continue their training session. The need for him to blow off some steam was starting to be a bit overwhelming.

The genjutsu training abandoned, Itachi and Sakura focused on taijutsu now. Raw power alone, as they sparred physical blow after physical blow. He was glad for it. He always enjoyed venting his stress through a good taijutsu spar, especially when his opponent specialized in this fighting style.

A kick to his chin, blocked by his forearm. A blow to her abdomen, dodged right in time not to cause damage. Her fist in his palm and his body in the air, avoiding her punches. The fight was a blur, as always when two shinobi of their level sparred. And given that Sakura was getting better and better, Itachi didn’t need to pull back any of his hits. She fought him almost like Shisui did. 

However, she still wasn’t on that level yet, as she laid now, defeated, pushed to the ground with his knee on her back. To her credit though, his breath was a bit ragged, like after a good run and a droplet of sweat broke out on his temple.

Sakura murmured something under her breath.

“Excuse me, I didn’t hear you.” He teased her without restraint, and it didn’t cease to surprise him how easy it had become for him to be so lighthearted around her.

“I yield! Happy? Now stop tormenting me.” 

They got up and Sakura started working on her shoulder, which Itachi so impolitely dislocated with one of his kicks. He rested against an old oak, exposing his face to the warmth the sun provided. It wasn’t so high in the sky anymore, Itachi noticed, realizing they missed the time for lunch. For some reason though, he didn’t really feel like going home yet.

“Jokes aside,” Sakura’s voice broke him out of his gloomy thoughts and he turned his sight in her direction. She looked hesitant to speak, her eyes directed to the ground “I was terrified your father would spot me.” When she met his gaze he spotted concern in her eyes. 

“Even if he did, it’s not like he could do you any harm.”

Her brows knitted together for a split second and he knew then, she didn’t have her own well being in mind. 

“Still, he’s intimidating as fuck.” Yes, Itachi couldn’t have phrased it better. “I’m thinking it runs in your genes or something.”

Itachi smiled, knowing she referred to her first weeks in his ANBU team. She had trouble speaking without faltering when addressing him and at first he had thought she was just overwhelmed by the new situation, joining ANBU and those new challenging missions. But then he noticed that whenever someone else on the team would speak up she would socialize with joy.

So, being blunt, he asked her if something was the matter. Her eyes went wide and for a second her face turned paper white, until she yelped: _”You terrify the shit out of me!”_

It had never been Itachi’s intention to provoke such a reaction from his subordinates. After years of being on the same team, his teammates knew him well enough to stop fearing his reputation and the intimidation that came with it. He hadn’t considered that Sakura would have to get used to him.

The following weeks sure were awkward, as Sakura struggled with her discomfort in his presence, while he searched for an appropriate solution to their issue.

“Good thing I know now, that you’re as approachable as a puppy.” She smiled brightly at him, guessing his thoughts. She seemed to do this a lot as of late. 

“You know, I’m not fond of this comparison.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re a cat person.” She stated, rolling her eyes in amusement.

Thankfully, Itachi thought, Sakura being reserved around him was all in the past now. She was sometimes bolder than Shisui around him now. Not that it bothered him.

“Are you gonna ask me to heal that giant bruise on your thigh or are you waiting for me to ask you to honour me by healing you?”

He didn’t provide her with a wordy answer, sitting by the tree instead and presenting his leg to her. She huffed in mocked annoyance but graced him with her healing chakra, anyway. As she was working on his injury, he noticed the stiffness in her shoulders and behind a cascade of pink strands her lips pressed in a thin line. Beautiful as always, even if tensed.

“What’s wrong, Sakura?”

She sighed, not rising her eyes to meet his.

“It’s just that…” she bit her lip, hesitant. “I’m sorry I overheard something I was not supposed to hear.” 

Way to address the elephant in the room. He hoped she wouldn't mention it, but this was Sakura and she always needed to mention stuff that was bothering her. Some might say it was good for therapeutical reasons not to ignore alarming issues, but somehow Itachi preferred to ignore stuff that troubled him. 

And yes, it bothered him that Sakura witnessed his exchange with his father. For many reasons. The most important ones being for one revealing how toxic his clan could be. The other being the fact that he was embarrassed she had seen him in such a submissive state. Why he felt bothered, though, was a matter he refused to consider.

Too confused and tired to give an actual answer, he settled for a simple “Ah.”

Sakura quickly forgot her remorse, anger flaring in her jade like eyes. “What did I say about talking in monosyllables? How on earth am I supposed to know what that means?!” 

Itachi didn’t find the strength in him to stifle his breathy chuckle upon her outburst.

“It’s okay.” He clarified, his voice gentle. “Let’s just... not talk about it.”

The girl wasn’t satisfied with his answer; it was obvious, but she dropped the matter.

Once they were all healed and good to go, Itachi hesitated. He didn’t want to have dinner at his family home tonight, however he also didn’t feel like dining alone. Itachi stole a glance at the perky kunoichi walking by his side, her pace brisk. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

“You wanna grab something to eat?” She asked, not looking at him and he noticed, not without surprise, a tinge of red at the peaks of her cheeks.

He smirked, already bracing himself for a punch to his arm. 

“Ah.”

* * *

Even though the food was delicious, Sakura couldn’t completely focus on eating, nibbling mindlessly on the meat placed on the takeout plate on her lap. She looked at her companion from the corner of her eye, yet another sign of her nervousness. Itachi knew she was seconds from making him talk through the situation with his father from earlier. And he would be lying to say part of him didn’t want her to.

It also explained why Sakura brought him to this secluded part of the village. After getting the food, Sakura offered to take it out and brought him over to this old bridge in the part of Konoha he rarely visited, if ever. It was the civilian district. The possibility of shinobi’s ears overhearing them was very low. Any ears for that matter, because the part of the river here was hidden behind trees, the road leading to it surrounded with just a few houses. 

They sat at the highest point of the bridge, the red colour of it faded from years of exposure to sunlight, resting against the thick wooden railing, the last rays of sun warming their faces. The days stretched during this part of the year, but the night was soon to approach. Their spot on the bridge provided a beautiful view over the setting sun. Itachi had to admit it was a nice place to have this kind of difficult conversation. 

A sigh of defeat escaped him. “Just ask, Sakura.”

“What are you—”

“I know you have questions and since you already heard so much you can as well ask about whatever’s nagging you.”

“Fine.” Sakura probably thought she had hidden her satisfaction well, but Itachi saw it flashing in her green eyes. 

She reached behind her and presented to him an unexpected bottle of sake.

A suspicious look found its way on Itachi’s face. “Where did you hide it?”

“Advanced medical ninjutsu and inhuman strength are not the only tricks I’ve learnt from my Shishou.” She answered mysteriously, sending him a wink. He shook his head, amusement dancing on his features. Sakura took a small sip and handed him the bottle. It wasn’t much of a drink, but Itachi agreed with her thinking it would be enough to make the discussion easier. 

“What is it you disagree with your father?”

“If you’re asking about the conversation this afternoon it was about Uchiha’s budget for the next few years.” If she were anyone else from outside the clan, he would never share this kind of information, but Sakura was someone he trusted. “I believe we should invest in educating the younger generation of our clan, and I mean all kinds of subjects, not just those strictly connected to the shinobi way of life.” Sakura’s gaze softened, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a slight smile. He continued. “However, my father insists we should invest in something more...tangible. Like weapons, armor, and so on.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. “Are you preparing for a war or something?”

Itachi knew she was sarcastic, but in some ways she wasn’t far from the truth.

“I sometimes think he’s always in some kind of war.” Itachi smiled humorlessly. “But that fund is just a small droplet in the ocean of our differences.”

Sakura giggled. “How poetic of you, Itachi.”

They finished the bottle and a relaxed silence fell upon them as they watched the sun setting behind the trees. Itachi wished he could enjoy the view and the company, but the weight of being part of the Uchiha clan on his shoulders seemed heavy on that particular day. His father was in all likelihood the only person in the world being able to make Uchiha Itachi so anxious and suppressed. So what if he was the heir and future patriarch, if there wasn’t much he could do or say? Or at least nothing true to his beliefs.

Sometimes he hated the fact he was born an Uchiha.

He cringed. No, that kind of thinking was wrong and unfair of him. And it always brought back great remorse about events from over a decade ago. For a second, Itachi hoped Sakura had another bottle in that secret hiding spot of hers. He shot a glance in her direction and discovered her gaze on him, the worry in her eye both comforting and irritating. He could almost hear her asking him if he was okay. 

Except she didn’t. 

“I know that being part of a clan so great as yours can cause a lot of pressure.” The girl noted with a sad voice. “I saw how bad Sasuke was coping with it growing up.” Itachi closed his eyes for a second, the only indication of his distress upon hearing Sakura’s words. His brother’s pain had always bothered him greatly. “And I can only imagine how much worse it was for you...” She hesitated. “But being the only shinobi in the family also isn’t easy.” She chuckled sadly. “We people always seem to crave something we don’t have, failing to appreciate what we were given, right?” Itachi gave her a questioning look, understanding the philosophical meaning behind her words but not knowing what she was referring to. 

Her eyes fell to the ground, as if ashamed of what she was about to say. 

“In the early years of being Sasuke’s teammate... I was so jealous of him having the family you do.” She gulped. “I know it was childish of me and I failed to see the pressure that came with it but that was how I felt. I was jealous of him having someone he could go to ask about the training or whatever shinobi-life related stuff. Instead, in my house I was fighting with my parents almost every day about my way of living.”

That revelation surprised Itachi.

“Your parents didn’t approve?”

“They did, at first. They were proud I was able to control my chakra and perform jutsu being civilian-born. But then I wanted to develop further. And that they didn’t like so much anymore. They hated seeing me all beaten up after training sessions with Tsunade-shishou, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop it. I knew I caused them pain. It was killing me.”

Sakura’s perspective on being part of the clan was new for Itachi. He had never thought of the clan being a support for him, he had never needed that. However, now that he thought about it, when he was a kid his mother would clean his cuts without fussing over him, simply stating that he needed to be more cautious. His aunt had always prepared her secret ointment for him for sore muscles and other minor injuries, and he carried it with him on missions till this day. He used to train with Shisui a lot during his academy days and later on. His clan had provided him with everything he needed on his way of becoming the shinobi he was today. Knowing what Sakura’s road was, he saw now some benefits of being part of a collective.

The pink haired kunoichi was on the verge of tears, and Itachi wanted to comfort her but had no idea how. Before he managed to reach for her hand, her head shot up and a bright smile appeared on her pretty face.

“Thankfully, it’s all okay now. My parents know I can handle myself.” She boasted. “Also, not living with them anymore helped. You know, what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.” Itachi agreed with her reasoning quietly, remembering the relief he’d felt moving into his own apartment in the Uchiha district.

Sakura lived now in a small flat near the hospital. Itachi had visited it already countless times due to being her captain and collecting her for missions. And recently, because he was her friend, or so he liked to think. He didn’t know, however, where her childhood home was.

“Do your parents live in this part of the village?”

“Sharp as always, Itachi.” Sakura giggled, a playful note to her tone. “They live right there.” She raised her hand and pointed to the road they came from. “That weird-looking blue house to the right. My parents have very…” a chuckle left her mouth, “interesting taste.” 

Most of the building was hidden behind old trees, but the bright color of the wall attracted attention. 

“So this is where you grew up?” A warmth squeezed Itachi’s heart, realizing she brought him here willingly. Inviting him to this special place.

She blushed, confirming his assumptions that her action was intentional. “Yeah... I would often play here or sit for hours observing fish.” She chuckled. “Fascinating hobby, I know.” 

Itachi shrugged. “I like to watch birds.”

Sakura raised her eyebrow at him, clearly fighting a giggle. “Okay, you know where to find me if you want company while watching birds.”

Despite a slight smile on the outside, on the inside Itachi felt conflicted. For the first time in so many years, an uncontrollable need to share his greatest secret overcame him. Was he fueled with guilt? Or was it because this girl beside him showed him so much kindness and trust? 

Trust. That was another thing. Did he trust her to be the wielder of this unrevealed truth about his clan and himself? He trusted her with his life. Why would this be any different?

“Can you keep a secret, Sakura?”

She must’ve felt the crushing seriousness of his tone because the smile faded from her now stern and thoughtful expression. She straightened her position and turned fully in his direction. 

The sun hid behind the horizon.

“Don’t feel pressured to share anything you don’t want to, Itachi.” Her tone was dead serious. “Only if this might make you feel better.”

Would it make him feel better? Not if she hated him afterwards.

“This may change your view on many things.” Itachi warned her. “On me as well.”

The warmth of her palm around his fingers was unexpected but welcome. 

“I’m not gonna judge you, Itachi.” With her voice soothing and gentle, he believed her in an instant. “Whatever it is you want to share with me. I can already see how big of a burden this is for you. I’d be happy to help you carry this weight.”

Something warm swelled in his chest and a wave of affection for the pink-haired kunoichi overcame him, so when she withdrew her hand he caught it, placing their palms, hers in his, on his knee instead.

“Very few know about this. And those who know it’s because they’ve lived it.” He put an extra emphasis on his next statement. “You have to keep this to yourself.”

She didn’t even cringe upon hearing his harsh tone. Her own voice remained soft and reassuring. “Your secrets are safe with me. I won’t tell anyone.” 

“Not even Sasuke?”

Her eyes widened in astonishment, but it lasted only a heartbeat. She nodded. “Not even Sasuke.”

Itachi took a deep breath, a lump forming in the back of his throat.

“I’ve never told this anyone.” He confessed eventually, not liking how weak his voice sounded. “I don’t even know where to start.” 

He sometimes talked about it with Shisui, but he had never had to say everything from the very beginning to anyone. Shisui knew the story maybe even better than he himself.

Sakura’s brows knitted together, a sign of an intense concentration. Then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “You could show me.”

And so he did, his red eyes glistening in the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank Mitsuki-sensei for a thorough edit, the amount of encouragement and valuable tips I received from her took this chapter to a whole new level. ❤
> 
> A sidenote - all Itachi’s chapters (except of one) will be named after The Amazing Devil songs. Their music influenced this story greatly, they are very talented musicians and if you’re into folk rock or indie rock I highly recommend checking them out (ofc if you’re not into it I also recommend it haha).  
> (Fun fact for Netflix’ _The Witcher_ fans - it’s Joey Batey’s (Jaskier) band! So cool, right?)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for the next chapter aka even more itasaku!  
> Take care ❤


	4. Pray II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously:  
>  _  
> “I’ve never told this anyone.” He confessed eventually, not liking how weak his voice sounded. “I don’t even know where to start.”  
>  He sometimes talked about it with Shisui, but he had never had to say everything from the very beginning to anyone. Shisui knew the story maybe even better than he himself.  
> Sakura’s brows knitted together, a sign of an intense concentration. Then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “You could show me.”  
> And so he did, his red eyes glistening in the darkness. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the beginning turned out a bit more angsty than intended but stay with me, it gets better 
> 
> (The tile of this chapter as well as the quote is taken from The Amazing Devil’s song “Pray”)

_**“God made all man in his image  
Honey, I’m no man  
I’m what’s left when children go to war”** _

_  
Dead bodies lay all over the battlefield, surrounding the four-year-old boy. Enemies, allies, but did it matter anymore who they were? Kunai stuck out of their lifeless forms the same, no matter their allegiance. The ground, fatigued with drought, soaked up their splattered blood greedily, leaving dark and dry marks where the stains were._

_A horrifying sight, but the silence was worse. A stillness that felt unnatural with so many people around him, and cold. Cold as the death that haunted this place._

_A whine woke Itachi up from his horrified bewilderment upon the impression._

_“Water!”_

_Without second thought, he ran in the direction of the voice. He knelt in front of a man whose hitai ate showed his affiliation to another country, but Itachi disregarded it. He reached to the man with his own bottle, basic instincts kicking in rather than reason. The stranger drank the water in one gulp, ensuring Itachi he did the right thing. How naïve of him._

_Suddenly, the stranger sprung to his feet, his kunai poised for a fatal blow. It never landed. Itachi was faster._

_The enemy’s body slumped to the ground with a loud thump. Itachi’s eyes widened at the sound. Not able to look at the corpse, he stared at his trembling hands, searching for an explanation—any explanation. He sensed his father’s presence behind him._

_“Why did this shinobi try to kill me, Tou-san?” Itachi’s voice wavered. “I didn’t do anything.”_

_“Because this is war, son.” His father seemed unimpressed by the event, his expression impassive and tone collected, and Itachi wasn’t sure if he should be amazed by his indifference or horrified. “And there’s nothing personal about war. It’s not between individuals; it’s between nations.”_

_And even though the young child couldn’t fathom the meaning behind the words, his father’s next statement would ring in his ears for years. “Never forget this sight, Itachi.”_

_That was the day when Uchiha Itachi decided he hated war and would do everything in his power to prevent another one from happening._

* * *

_As a proud five-year-old older brother, Itachi swore to guard Sasuke from any harm. The village was under attack, his parents had been summoned to help the rest of the shinobi forces to fight the Kyuubi, and had left the infant under his care.The turmoil of battle seemed near now, close enough for the noise to wake Sasuke. Itachi looked at his baby brother, his chubby cheeks flushed, and decided their home was no longer a safe place for them to be._

_The bundle with Sasuke strapped to his torso, the young Uchiha started his way towards the shelter, one goal in mind. To keep Sasuke safe._

_Terrified villagers ran in all directions, not all of them lucky or fast enough to avoid collapsing walls. Falling buildings, screaming people and and at the center of it all, Sasuke, crying. The tumult irritated his baby brother and Itachi rocked him with a kind smile to comfort him._

_He raced through the village, frustrated that yet another road turned out to be blocked by a fire or panicked crowd. He took the umpteenth turn that night, hoping it would be the right way at last._

_A large furry paw met him._

_Even though Itachi estimated that the distance between them and the Kyuubi was big—at least half a mile—for a second there it felt like an inch.The shrill roar that emerged from the beast’s lungs didn’t help, causing him to freeze to the spot, petrified._

_It was Sasuke’s whimper that woke him up from his haze._

_His courage returned to him, as did his rationale, and he turned back, his brain forming an alternative plan. Avoiding every brick flying their way, every explosion and the mad crowd, Itachi kept breaking through the chaos._

_Not even the Kyuubi himself would stop him from keeping Sasuke safe._

* * *

_“The village is treating us like traitors!”_

_“Yes, we don’t deserve this kind of treatment, Fugaku-sama! We aren’t responsible for the Nine Tailed Beast assault!”_

_Ever since the horrifying night of the attack and the death of the Yondaime and his wife, the villagers had become hostile towards the clan. The Uchiha were relocated to the edge of the village, forced to create their own district and isolate themselves from the rest of Konoha. Most likely so that the village council had an easier task of monitoring them._

_Many Uchiha didn’t hide their resentment for such an outcome; the issue had become a regular item on the clan meetings’ agenda. Itachi disliked those gatherings, a training would be a much more efficient use of his time, but as the heir he was expected to attend most of them, despite his young age of ten._

_“I understand your concerns Inabi-san.” His father had been trying his best in recent weeks to ease the tension and bring peace upon the other clan members’ troubled minds. “But we need to accept the Konoha’s council reasoning. The Kyuubi was controlled by a Sharingan. Until we find the person responsible for the attack, we need to stay low.”_

_“Konoha used the Kyuubi as just an excuse, you know this Fugaku-sama! A perfect justification for them to further suppress our clan. They got so arrogant they don’t even bother to mask their discrimination towards the Uchiha.” Inabi-san’s words dripped with venom and his black eyes flared with anger and a hate of his own._

_A shudder ran up Itachi’s spine at the sight. The political games were a mystery for him he didn’t wish to uncover. But as a shinobi, Itachi recognized the dangerous glint in his clansman’s eyes._

_It was bloodlust._

* * *

_The ANBU turned out to be so much different from missions with his genin team. Itachi appreciated the challenge that came with facing some of the most powerful ninja known in their world. Tracking and infiltration gave him a rush of adrenaline he’d never felt doing less advanced missions. The brutality of ANBU’s ways made him cringe at first, but it didn’t take long for him to become hardened to the cruelty. He carried out his duty without a single slip, despite his controversial, in some people’s opinions, young age. It gave him satisfaction to make his clan proud of his performance in the Black Ops._

_However, he just realized his role in the ANBU had an additional significance for the Uchiha._

_“Our only wish is a fair treatment, Itachi. We deserve to know what the top-ranked of Konoha are up to.” His father told him before commanding him to gather intel._

_As an ANBU, Itachi had access to data not known for regular shinobi. Information about other members of the Black Ops, strategies and defences. Everything an enemy preparing for assault would die to know. The suspicion his clan might become one alarmed Itachi._

_But he couldn’t help the swell of pride rising in his chest, seeing approval and gratification in his father’s eyes._

_“I’m very proud of you, son. And so is the clan. Always remember it.”_

* * *

_The threat of Uchiha clan’s coup d'état, now more real than ever, forced Itachi to make an extremely difficult decision._

_“I appreciate you came with this to me, Itachi.” The Sandaime Hokage managed to keep his voice composed, despite the shocking news he just received. “You will now report your clan’s actions to me and The Council. Let’s hope we will find a peaceful solution to this situation.”_

_To Itachi’s credit, he really did believe his actions would stop another war from happening._

* * *

_“The clan’s will to make it happen is stronger than we anticipated, Itachi.” Shisui sat at the top of a cliff, letting his legs to dangle nonchalantly. Despite the relaxed pose, his stern gaze revealed his distress._

_It didn’t take long for his cousin and best friend to realize something bothered the Uchiha heir. So, Itachi had shared the burden and much to his surprise, Shisui was already on to something. He knew all along._

_“We need to delay their actions, I need more time.”_

_Shisui’s plan was to find opposition to the clan Elder’s plan of coup d'état in the younger generation. He hoped more allies would stop the Uchiha from proceeding. If that scheme didn’t work...Itachi knew Shisui was mentally preparing to use his eye’s special ability on his kin and how much heartache it brought him._

_But Konoha didn’t just stand by. Itachi had already done everything in his power to persuade the Hokage to a peaceful solution._

_“Even though The Sandaime is keen on negotiations, Danzou-sama’s influence on him is strong. He claims it’s impossible to reach an agreement. I don’t think I can hinder their moves much longer, Shisui.”_

* * *

_They were standing on top of the Hokage Tower, Itachi and the Sandaime, as the latter observed the village, deep in thought._

_“We’re short on time. I need to know which side you’re on, Itachi. If this isn’t resolved soon… Many lives will be lost. If the Uchiha rise—and I don’t mean it as a threat—Konoha will kill all members of the clan in the ensuing conflict. Even the innocent ones.”_

_**Even Sasuke.** _

_The Sandaime might’ve not meant it as a threat, but it sounded an awful lot like an ultimatum. Breath got caught in Itachi’s throat, but the Hokage seemed unaffected by the sound. The elder man didn’t even cast a glance over his shoulder to look the boy in the eye as he voiced his question._

_“Would you accept the assignment to destroy the Uchiha clan, Itachi?”_

* * *

_Itachi went straight to Shisui to tell him about Sandaime’s impatience regarding their clan, but the state he found his cousin in made him almost forget all about it. On the floor, his clothes ragged, head resting against his bed, the older Uchiha breathed heavily. Blood covered the left side of his face._

_“We need to put our plan in motion, Danzou saw through us. He’s after my eye.” A slash ran down Shisui’s cheek and Itachi could tell speaking caused his cousin pain. It was just one of many wounds he could spot on his cousin's body._

_Itachi grabbed the nearest piece of cloth and pressed it to the deep cut to staunch the bleeding. Shisui cringed at the touch, but the pain didn’t hold him back from a brief description of his fight with Danzou. The depiction and Shisui’s wounds as evidence made Itachi aware more than ever that Shimura was not someone to ignore._

_The gash looked nasty and Itachi concluded a professional would have to take care of it—his stitching would leave a scar for sure. He threw Shisui’s arm across his shoulders and stood up to leave. His cousin’s rasped voice halted his movements, tone grim and resigned._

_“Danzou told me that as long as the Uchiha clan exists, the risk of another coup is too high. He was so arrogant…” Shisui paused to spit blood. “I think he managed to persuade the Hokage.”_

_Realization struck Itachi. There was the missing puzzle to this mess._

_Shisui’s eyes widened at the firm determination that broke through Itachi’s calm facade._

_“Then we need to convince the Sandaime our solution is better.”_

* * *

_“What’s the meaning of this, son?”_

_The Third stood to the right of Itachi, while Shisui, battered and bruised, sat on his other side. They had decided to hold the meeting in the ancient Uchiha temple, a show of trust to the Third—not many people knew of this place._

_“We know how to prevent the coup d'état from happening, Tou-san. I know you don’t want it either.”_

_Fugaku frowned, something like realization flashing in his eyes. “You betrayed us.”_

_“If I may interrupt, Uchiha-san, I think Itachi’s actions state quite the opposite.” The elderly Hokage spoke. “Everything he did, he did with his clan’s benefit in mind. He came to me and thanks to Shisui’s and his interference I believe we can now come to an agreement.”_

_Convincing Fugaku of their plan was not an easy task, but Itachi had foreseen it. Resenting Itachi and Shisui for their treason, his anger directed towards them made the negotiations hard. But the Uchiha clan head wasn’t a fool—he understood many Uchiha lives would be sacrificed if the civil war happened. Especially now that two of the strongest members made their loyalty to the village clear._

_The damage was done and Itachi’s relationship with his father would never be the same._

_As the outcome of their negotiations, Fugaku agreed to Shisui using Kotoamatsukami on the fiercest supporters of the revolt. He also granted the recall of the current clan council._

_But he had one condition._

_“I want to see Danzou dead, Itachi. And I want you to be the one to kill him.”_

* * *

When the effects of the genjutsu faded, Itachi found with great fear that Sakura’s gaze was empty. But then her hand squeezed his, and her green orbs started flickering in the dark. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

They exchanged no words for the longest time, and despite great nervousness sitting at the pit of Itachi’s stomach, he didn’t regret sharing this vital piece of information with Sakura. He didn’t know what her reaction would be, but a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders nonetheless. 

“Itachi...” Her voice was so quiet he had to lean closer to hear her. “I’m so sorry.”

This time he didn’t even bother to hide his surprise.

“You were only a kid. You were what? Thirteen? And they all expected from you such horrible, horrifying things. The Sandaime—”

“Was just protecting the village, Sakura.”

Thick tears streamed down her cheeks.

“So selfless...” A murmur left her as she stared into the distance. “All of your actions were fueled with care for your people. For Sasuke.”

Sakura looked him straight in the eye, his soul bare under her gaze.

“You are such a good man, Itachi. Never think otherwise.”

“I’m... not. I...” He faltered. The worst was yet to come. “I need to confess, Sakura.” 

Her big eyes focused on him, her thumb grazed over his knuckles leaving them tingling. After he spoke she would drop his hand and never look him in the eye again, Itachi realized with dread. But he had to finish what he’d started—Sakura needed to know the entire truth now.

His darkest secret.

“I accepted the mission. If Danzo hadn’t been neutralized... I would’ve done it.” The look of loathing on her face would be unbearable for him, so he shut his eyes, jaw so tense it hurt. “I would’ve become the murderer of my clan.”

His eyes shot open as Sakura sealed him in a safe clasp.

Itachi expected nothing but hostile behaviour—a display of fear, anger or contempt. He wouldn’t even dare to wish for Sakura to throw her arms around him and hold him tight, as the shivers of unbelievable guilt gripped him. Yet it happened and her generous affection left him stunned, paralyzed almost. 

It felt good to be buried in her warmth. Her tears spilled for him, wetting his shirt. The rush of her sudden hug crushed him to the railing, and the embrace was so tight he struggled to breathe. But Itachi didn’t want to let her go. He broke through his trance and his arms encircled her tiny waist, his fingers clutching her red shirt to keep her in place.

Did a sinner like him deserve such kindness? He doubted, but he indulged in it anyway.

“You are so harsh on yourself, Itachi,” Sakura muttered, so close to his ear her exhale titillated the sensitive skin there. 

“I don’t deserve to be the head of Uchiha clan.” He murmured, voice and heart broken. “And I don’t deserve _this_ , Sakura.” 

He felt unworthy of her compassion and comfort, and his weak tone betrayed his self-loathing. No wonder Sakura caught onto it. Her hold on him got stronger, her palm sinking in his hair, as she whispered with care.

“You’re wrong. You deserve all the love, Itachi.”

* * *

They stayed like this long enough for Sakura’s tears to dry and Itachi to regain his composure, and when she pulled back, he felt cold in an instant. He knew he had already gotten more from her than he could’ve ever wished for. Yet she still smiled at him, wiping the remnants of mascara from her face.

“Tsunade-shishou’s sake sure is strong.” Sakura joked, no trace of the heavy seriousness from only seconds ago.

He released a breath, almost laughing. “That was the Hokage’s? She would throw us in jail if she knew we drank from her stash.”

With little effort they returned to their banter, as if they hadn’t just clung to each other like the world was about to end. Thankfully. The only thing that could be almost equally bad as Sakura hating him was her fussing over him. That would be plain humiliating. 

As he entered his house some time later the whole day felt to him like some kind of distant dream. He suspected, not without bitterness, the unfamiliar wave of emotions clouded his perception of the situation. He had been trained to feel as little as possible after all. Not that the training had turned out to be a success, but still—such a rollercoaster of feelings must’ve been a great shock to his mind. 

In the end, there were only two signs left for Itachi indicating he hadn’t dreamt those events on the bridge. One of them was Sakura’s tentative question on their way home. She asked him whether he would ever tell Sasuke the truth. He took his time with his answer, but despite that, it didn’t turn out to be satisfying at all.

“I don’t know.” 

The realization caused anxiety to grow at the pit of his stomach. Conflicted and driven with remorse, Itachi had to live with his inability to decide. For now. Because Sakura’s eyes were understanding and her smile gave him encouragement and hope the day he would find a solution would come. 

The other sign was her scent of orange and peppermint, which stubbornly clung to his shirt, charming his senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, Mitsuki-sensei for your precious time and assistance with this chapter ❤ I learn so much from you!
> 
> Apologies for one week delay, but this chapter needed much more attention due to its importance to Itachi's journey in this story. Initially, I was hoping I'll be able to post a chapter every week given that most of this story is already written, but I'm graduating soon and my Masters thesis is far from being finished lol so I guess I should focus on that... so what I want to say is that I'm gonna update regularly but maybe not as often as once a week :)
> 
> I started a drawing for this scene, but I only got halfway through because of technical issues - you can find the lineart [here](https://itachi-niisan.tumblr.com/post/616040843536744448/heres-a-little-taste-of-my-upcoming-itasaku)
> 
> And the most important thing - THANK YOU. For reading, for commenting and leaving kudos. Your reactions and enthusiasm are the greatest encouragement ❤
> 
> Stay safe ❤


	5. Cherry Blossom’s memoir II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’d been around 2 months since Sakura had joined Itachi’s ANBU team and her partnership with her captain was finally starting to come together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warning for more sensitive readers - there's mention of vomit in this chapter.
> 
> EDIT 14/07/2020: i changed the formatting here as well. sorry for the confusion. The events in this chapter take place before the events in chapter 2

A wave of nausea overcame her, yet again that night. Sakura lost count, but this time she actually had to retreat to the bushes to let go of the burden in her stomach. It was dark, moon gave little light that night, and she tripped over a branch. Her stomach bubbled up. A sound not suited for a lady erupted from her, but Sakura had never thought of herself as distinguished, so she couldn’t bring herself to care. The kunoichi felt so miserable she almost didn’t hear her captain approaching. However, the real surprise came, when he crouched beside her and grasped her hair, brushing it away from her face. He most certainly noticed her flinch at the gesture. 

“It’s okay,” his calming tone didn’t bring much comfort to her uneasiness and it seemed he was aware of it, because he added “it’s not like I’ve never seen vomit. Sasuke had a very sensitive stomach as a kid.” 

There was a playful tinge to his tone and she tried her best to contain her astonishment upon hearing it from the always-so-serious-captain. She giggled weakly. “Still has actually. Every other mission he ends up asking for something to ease his... discomfort.” 

Yes, thanks to being Sasuke’s teammate for years she developed a habit to always carry extra diarrhea pills. 

She might have imagined it, but Sakura could've sworn that from the corner of her lidded eye she saw a ghost of a smile on her Taichou’s face. It disappeared so quickly though, it led her to believe it wasn’t there in the first place. 

“How long till the effects of the poison wear off?” 

It seemed as if Uchiha-san’s words reminded her body of its current condition, because her insides twisted once again, forcing her to throw up. Taken by convulsions, Sakura barely noted her Taichou had gripped her hair which had so impertinently left the stern hold of the neat bun she always wore on ANBU missions. 

The sickness left her exhausted and a heavy sigh escaped her as she rested her weight on her trembling arms. 

“Well, technically it’s not the effect of the poison, since I neutralized it. It’s the antidote’s side effect.” Sakura hated how weak her voice sounded. She had once hoped her intimidating captain would never see her in a condition so embarrassing, but oh, how naïve of her. “It should get better in a few hours. When the nausea ceases I should be able to hold in a soldier pill and we’ll be able to head out in the morning.” 

One stupid senbon hit her, but it was enough to bring her to that pathetic state—sick and frustrated because of her carelessness. Shisui tried to make her feel better about it earlier, assuring her that in case of such dense rain of senbon it was extremely hard to avoid a hit. Somehow though, Sakura thought bitterly, none of her other teammates got hit. Just her. 

“I still think one of us should carry you back. You are in no state to travel.” 

Even though Itachi simply stated a fact and his gentle voice didn’t carry any note of displeasure, it annoyed her to no end that she turned out to be a burden to her team. If it wasn’t for her condition, they would probably be already in Konoha. And of all times it had to happen now... Now when she finally—sort of—started to get along with her terrifying captain. 

More than two months had passed since Sakura got assigned to Uchiha Itachi’s ANBU team, and let’s just say she hadn’t given the best first impression. For some reason she had been tense around her teammates at the beginning, even though they showed her nothing but respect and support during the challenging transition to the Black Ops. The kunoichi suspected her insecurities had something to do with it. Sakura felt them increase when she found herself surrounded with three remarkable shinobi, known to form one of the best squads in Konoha’s ranks. 

However, it didn’t take long for her to discover that Genma Shiranui’s laid back attitude could only compete with Kakashi-sensei’s. It took even less time to become fond of Shisui Uchiha, a man with such warm nature, he reminded her of a sweet hot tea after a long day. Nonetheless, their captain continued to freak her out, even though the girl had noticed he was far from what other people described him to be. 

Yes, he tended to be aloof and quiet, but only when the situation called for it. When the burden of responsibility freed his shoulders, he showed a milder side of his personality. The tension visible in his face features dissipated and sometimes even a smirk found its way on his handsome face at whatever stupid thing his teammates joked about. Regardless, it didn’t make it easier for her to talk to him like a normal person. 

Especially after she yelled right to his face how terrifying she found him to be. 

Her embarrassment over that situation hadn’t lessened yet. She still cringed at the memory, damn that temper of hers. At least, the circumstances had given her the opportunity of a lifetime to see the rare expression of sheer surprise on Uchiha Itachi’s face. Sakura even dared to think she might’ve hurt his feelings, even if only a little. 

Unfortunately, it caused their relationship to go from bad to worse. The girl believed it caused her captain to despise her now. She had even considered a transfer to a different team, to escape the tense atmosphere and make everyone’s lives easier. A coward’s move, she knew, especially after Shisui had confronted her about it. He revealed to her in confidence that Itachi had to compete with others to have her as the medic on his team. 

The thing was, the medic-nin were very rare among the ANBU. Sakura wouldn’t even consider joining if the need for her skills wasn’t so essential. However, seeing how many Black Ops operatives landed in the hospital these days, she agreed with Tsunade her presence was necessary. Besides, who could refuse such great opportunity to gain experience as a field medic in Uchiha Itachi’s team? ANBU was different and much more challenging than working in the sterile and safe environment of a hospital—fully equipped, with staff ready to offer their assistance. The first time she had to fix a nasty fracture in Genma’s leg, a complex one with a massive blood loss, for a second there her mind went blank before she snapped out of the shock and began to proceed. 

Her conversation with Shisui made her realize that if Itachi didn’t want her on the team she wouldn’t be there. It made her relax—following this trail of thought, as long as she was a member of his ANBU team, her captain saw her as a worthy teammate. Maybe even an equal. That realization had filled her with a pride she hadn’t felt since passing her jonin exam at the age of 19. It didn’t happen to everyone to get acknowledged by an elite shinobi considered a genius. 

Now, Sakura couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of her after seeing her covered in mud, sweat and vomit. In particular the latter, because apparently her body was reacting badly to the antidote, and she could sense the pungent smell clung to her uniform. 

“We’ll see.” The kunoichi answered curtly, not in the mood for the discussion, wiping bile from her chin. She straightened, one of her hands reaching her face to sweep away those pink strands which escaped Uchiha-san’s hold, deciding instead to stick to her face covered with her cold sweat. 

And Sakura stilled. In horror. 

Because her captain, Uchiha Itachi, a prodigy and one of the most powerful shinobis in the world, ran his fingers through her hair in order to brush them up and tie them together, back in place. It was her weakened state, but also thrilling curiosity, that stopped her from making even one single movement to stop him from proceeding. 

It took him less than a minute to gather her hair and tie them in a high ponytail, leaving Sakura to wonder, not without amusement, whether he gained his skill by handling his own hair, gorgeous hair, might she add. She hoped she would find the courage one day to ask him about his routine regarding his long, silky locks. 

She also found it fascinating to experience an unexpected delicacy from the dangerous hands of Uchiha Itachi. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why the Uchiha prodigy was such a special character, she thought—all these many, many sides of him. 

“Thanks,” she muttered, abashed, but her gratitude was genuine. It felt good to have her rebellious mop of hair back in order, not to mention the pleasant tingling his fingers left on her scalp. However, Sakura knew she shouldn’t dwell on **that** feeling. 

Her body seemed to give her a break for a while, so the kunoichi settled against the trunk of the tree right next to her. Itachi settled by her side, and for some reason it warmed her heart to know someone cared for her well-being. Even if the concern came from the squad leader, who took his role and the responsibilities attached to it very seriously. 

“Do you still find me so unbearable?” 

Her eyes widened in shock. Sakura certainly didn’t expect such a bomb after a few minutes of comfortable silence between them. 

“I never found you unbearable, Taichou!” She looked at him, but his face didn’t betray any emotions. “It’s just... it’s not something you’ve done. My issues spoke through me and I shouldn’t have let them affect my behavior towards you. My actions were unprofessional and for that I apologize, Taichou.” 

She looked him in the eye and it gave her a weird satisfaction when she didn’t flinch under his intense gaze. 

“It’s okay, Sakura.” Her captain said in a steady voice. “I hope now we can move past this... awkwardness.” He looked very troubled having to utter this word. She smiled in return. Not her widest smile, because she didn’t have the strength needed for it, but all the same, a sincere one. She hoped Uchiha-san could see that. 

The words of apology came to her with ease and out of nowhere. Well, maybe not completely out of nowhere. In the past two weeks many possible scenarios of an apology to her captain for her juvenile attitude ran through her head, but not one of them included her vomiting all over the place and him **tenderly** holding and tying her hair. The situation seemed bizarre to Sakura and a chuckle broke out of her without her intention. When she raised her eyes Itachi’s puzzled look met hers. 

She pressed her lips in a thin line in order to stifle her giggles “I swear I’m not usually so awkward with people. I’ll get better I promise.” 

Then—without any warning—Itachi smiled, their gazes locked. Good thing she was sitting, because she might’ve had difficulty standing with her knees turned to jelly. 

If she didn’t know any better she might have assumed Shisui or Genma had crept behind her, making weird faces to amuse their captain. But they were alone in the thickness of the woods and all of a sudden Sakura became strongly aware of Itachi’s closeness. Warm and fuzzy inside, she kept admiring his genuine beam until it faded into his usual stoic expression. 

“Ah.” 

Sakura could only hope Taichou’s curt answer expressed his willingness to develop their partnership into something resembling a friendship. But that was a wild guess. After all, it was Uchiha Itachi, so who knew what lurked in that genius head of his? 

For a long while they sat in a silence, a comfortable one much to Sakura’s surprise, and her stomach at last settled down and gave her some peace. They watched the stars, each engrossed in their own thoughts, until the pink-haired kunoichi felt compelled to break the silence. 

“Emm...Taichou?” His black placid gaze fell upon her, and she took a deep breath for courage. “I don’t know if you’re celebrating, but... happy birthday.” 

His lips curled in something that looked almost like another smile as he voiced his thanks. 

And when the next day she got to see her reflection in the tiny mirror she carried in her backpack, she complimented his skills in hairdressing in a lighthearted tone, but with genuine admiration. He smiled again, amused, and she couldn’t help but feel optimistic she would enjoy more of that treatment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough week, eh?  
> The beta for this chapter was @sarcastic-mommy, thank you SO MUCH for all your help ❤
> 
> EDIT: btw, Happy birthday, Itachi! for realz!

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my beta Fi @feeisamarshmallow who is just the most patient angel when it comes to my English and who is the best for editing even though Naruto is not her jam ❤ you're the best!
> 
> Kudos and comments greatly appreciated ❤ you can also find me on tumblr i'm @itachi-niisan


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